LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – The province’s largest cooperative once more went to extreme lengths of providing much-needed assistance to members by giving rice relief packs recently.
This is part of the Lagawe Multi-purpose Development Cooperative’s (LMDC) commitment to focus on better attending to the needs of its members during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
Today, the cooperative’s efforts are directed towards a future where the members’ hard-earned money can be properly and wisely allocated for other important basic needs.
Many of the cooperative’s members received their rice relief packs of ten kilos of rice at a distribution center at Barangay Poblacion West in Lagawe. They immediately expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the rice relief packs.
It is the LMDC’s way of giving back to its members. Over the years, LMDC’s mission is to create investment opportunities for the people. Obviously, thousands of folks were educated on the advantages investing has to offer. Many of them were satisfied with their “investments” that appreciated with time. In other words, at the end of the day members got their well-deserved “dividends” in another kind.
The rice relief project is not just another exercise of corporate social responsibility on the part of the LMDC, but it is also a well-thought-out plan to provide food assistance to folks impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
Beyond being a role model in quality services and products to thousands of members in Ifugao and across Northern Luzon regions, LMDC’s mission is to be on top of improving the lives of the people, most especially the poor, even at uncertain times.
“This is precisely the reason why we are extending our assistance to them. They deserve no less from us,” LMDC CEO Charles Balachawe said.
“It would be being remiss in our duties and responsibilities not to help them at this point of time,” he added.
For days, the LMDC is engaged in the distribution of the rice relief packs. LMDC understands the needs of its huge membership rolls and so it adopted a barangay-centered distribution scheme in Lagawe. The capital town has 20 barangays. It is committed to handing out the rice relief packs in an orderly and speedy manner. At the Barangay Poblacion West distribution center members can easily line up, sign up and get their packs from friendly and courteous personnel. There are chairs for seating in the event of long queues and are intended to observe “social distancing” regulations.
The innovative rice relief project is at the heart of every LMDC service showcased through its involvement in alleviating the plight of the people in these difficult times. It is surely an outpouring expression of the Filipino warmth and caring ways for the poor and the needy. In many ways, it gives meaning to the effort of breathing new life into all the troubles brought forth by the burdens of the COVID-19 problem.
The project touched cash-starved members deeply. “We’ll always be here for you,” Balachawe declared.
Even better, LMDC showed that it shares with the government the same vision on the importance of compassion for the poor, a common challenge for all to cherish and promote everywhere as the world still faces the task of containing the COVID-19 ailment.
Day by day, the sufferings of average and low-income earners have become more and more evident. Think of a resident wearied and dispirited by checkpoints, quarantine pass, buy slip and curfew. And here comes the problem on lack of rice to cook. It is not to be taken lightly in a bleak economy. It’s good if you’re a member of the LMDC. Say what you need and help will come. If not, yes, you have a big problem.
Rice requirements of a family and high cost of living are interrelated and could be a bone of contention, having been described as a major concern in poor localities. Rice relief packs reduce the cost of buying it thus, addressing albeit temporarily, the vulnerability of many poor Filipino families. At the height of the COVID-19 crisis, people came in droves for “free” rice. Now, they have to buy it. How much is a kilo of rice these days? It all works in the principle that low wages, high inflation and diminishing purchasing power of the peso connote deleterious effect on Juan de la Cruz.
It would also help if there is a better understanding of the fact that many have already suffered depression and anxiety because of the effects of the COVID-19 crisis such as joblessness and sky-high prices of goods and services. Many are weak-willed to decisively move on after being told “there’s no more job for you” so, all told, the bewildered individual comes off deeply depressed. Depression hurts emotionally and physically.
For now, the LMDC’s main job is to ensure that its members have rice at the table three times a day. Rice is the staple food of Filipinos.
The hopeful thing is that the good deeds of the LMDC should be replicated elsewhere in Ifugao to benefit the majority of the people in the province.
And so it is that, once again, the advocacy of Mr. Balachawe to curb poverty is making a headway here. Balachawe’s actions convinced people of his good faith and absolute sincerity. Likewise, Balachawe’s high degree of professionalism inspired LMDC personnel to work harder. He continuously inspires and motivates every one because never fails because of his strong persona. He is always busy at the office. Yet, he never fails his responsibility as a leader in the private sector. He finds his purpose in life by helping the less fortunate.
Balachawe has worked hard to help underprivileged community with a high poverty rate and no welfare benefits. There are simply too many of them.
Balachawe hopes to reach out many others in remote villages of the province. He truly understands that there is a pressing need to address this concern in rural areas, where poverty rate in placed by the World Bank at 40 percent. Whatever it takes, Balachawe is expected not to retreat in one corner. He was able to successfully frame his advocacies to fit grassroots perspectives.
Just how important the province considers the invaluable contributions of the LMDC for several years is made very clear by the fact that Balachawe ably shepherded the LMDC in good and not-so-good times.
Currently, Balachawe now presides over the LMDC’s policies and programs aimed at helping promote the growth and development of one of the region’s most respected cooperatives.
This is the right direction. The truth is Balachawe’s integrity, character and leadership by example traits are most helpful in creating the LMDC’s “success story.”
For his part, Balachawe expressed his gratitude to his staff and employees for their relentless support in the implementation of various programs and projects of the LMDC.
The times are not worry-free, so weak leadership isn’t an option. Fortunately, Mr. Balachawe, members of the board of directors and many others at the LMDC helm are putting premium in the concerns of others first before themselves. With their confidence high, board directors are expected to continue to be active and fully committed partners of LMDC’s working CEO.
Except for Senator Cynthia Villar and Board Member Agustin Calya-en, LMDC is receiving little support from the provincial government and municipal governments where its branches are operating. The government knows the rules of the game. The need is urgent to put into motion a strong and meaningful support system for highly-performing cooperatives as this one. Therefore, the provincial government should reflect on the importance of the LMDC and other cooperatives beyond accrediting them and signing credit surety funds agreement. An important move because reorienting the mindset towards truly empowering cooperatives is what would propel growth and development in the countryside in the not-so-distant future.
Formed in 1984, LMDC has gained tremendous momentum this last decade. In 2019, it has 17,826 members and total asset of Php 1.1 billion. In 1984, it has only 30 members and total asset of Php 5,750. The increase in LMDC’s fortune was due to good fiscal management. LMDC is one of the CAR’s largest cooperatives in terms of assets and capital. It’s operating expenses in 2019 reached Php 70,529,253. Based in Lagawe, LMDC also operates branches in Alfonso Lista, Banaue and Tinoc towns, all in Ifugao; La Trinidad in Benguet; Bontoc in Mountain Province; Bambang and Solano in Nueva Vizcaya; Cabarruguis and Maddela in Quirino and Santiago City in Isabela. Ifugao’s (as well as four other provinces) economy benefited from LMDC’s economic activities.
“LMDC is a proficient organization staffed by competent and hardworking individuals,” Hingyon-based engineer Julio Tindungan told the ZigZag Weekly, in justifying the phenomenal rise of the cooperative. Tindungan is not a member of the LMDC.
Don’t look back! More successes in 2021 and the years to come for LMDC and it appears intent on following through.
The LMDC is simply irreplaceable at the cooperative world in Northern Luzon’s Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Cagayan Valley Region. “I’m so proud of its achievements. We’re happier now than we have ever been,” Mar Lunag said. Lunag, a longtime pillar of the LMDC, is a professor of the Ifugao State University (IFSU) at Lagawe campus. His sentiments is but a reflection that the LMDC shall remain stronger and become even bigger this year and beyond. **By Anthony A. Araos
